Thin sheets of decorative multi-layer dry paint laminates or wall films may be adhesively applied to a painted surface by a bonding layer, typically adhesive, for applying color to the surface. The wall film of this invention provides an alternative to conventional wallpaper. The familiar steps of applying wallpaper paste to conventional wallpaper or immersing pre-pasted wallpaper in water are time consuming, messy and require additional cleanup. These problems are avoided by the wall film of this invention which can be applied and repositioned on the wall in much less time. Special color effects such as faux finishes can be applied in a single application, and the wall film can be applied with overlapping seams that virtually disappear and are, therefore, not noticeable when the wall is viewed even close up and at different angles. The wall film as applied to the wall is exceedingly thin, much thinner than conventional wallpaper, so that by applying the wall film with overlapping seams that are virtually unnoticeable, a room can be decorated with new color effects that speed the process when compared with applying conventional wallpaper.
The wall film of this invention generally comprises a dry paint transfer sheet having one or more decorative layers of dry paint which can include a pigmented dry paint layer or color layer, a transparent protective clear coat layer, and one or more print coats which can provide various visual designs such as a faux pattern, if desired. An adhesive layer such as a pressure sensitive adhesive is applied to the decorative dry paint layer.
The decorative paint layer portion of the wall film preferably comprises a pigmented layer or layers of dry paint that simulate conventional interior wall paint. The wall film can be applied to suitable surfaces, such as flat two-dimensional interior wall surfaces; but the film is sufficiently flexible to be applied to match corners and to fit solidly around curved wall surfaces as well.
Foreign substances or agents in or on the wall surface, such as pigments in a painted surface, may be solubilized (i.e., dissolve) into the bonding layer of the wall film and migrate to the pigmented color-producing layer or layers of the wall film. Discoloration of the wall film may be produced by organic pigments or dyes found in common wall paints that migrate through the bonding layer into the color-producing layers of the wall film. For example, azo-type pigments used in wall paints containing yellow pigments as a component, or to a lesser extent, orange or red pigments or dyes, can migrate and cause discoloration.
The present invention provides a multi-layer wall film adapted for contact with a painted substrate surface that may contain organic materials with color constituents that migrate. The invention addresses a situation, in particular, where the painted surface containing such organic color components may not be modified to avoid the color migration problem. In response to this problem, the invention provides a wall film containing one or more barrier layers that cooperate to block or capture the migrating color materials, and in particular, those containing azo-type pigments. The barrier layer inhibits long-term discoloration of the color layer or layers in the wall film caused by the film being in contact with such a painted surface.
Although a barrier layer may be incorporated into the wall film to inhibit or prevent long-term discoloration of the color-producing layers, addition of the barrier layer should not adversely affect other necessary properties of the wall film. These properties include, but are not limited to, elongation or flexibility, and intercoat adhesion. Coat weight (or dry film thickness) of the barrier layer also is an important criterion inasmuch as the overall thickness of the wall film should stay below a certain level so that the film, in use, can be applied without visibly perceptible seams along overlapping sections of the film.